THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 505- 



there arc no rooms but one, in which they facrrfice both to 

 Bacchus and to Venus*. The two men nearctl the vacuum 

 a pair have made on the bench by leaving their feats, hold 

 their upper garment like a fkreen before the two that have 

 left the bench; and, if we may judge by found, they feem 

 to think it as great a fhame to make love in fxlence as to 

 eat . — Replaced in their feats again, the company chink the 

 happy couple's health ; and their example is followed at dif- 

 ferent ends of the table, as each couple is difpofed. All this 

 paffes without remark or fcandal, not a licentious word is ; 

 littered, nor the molt dhlant joke upon the.tranfaetion. 



These ladies are, for the molt part, women of family and 

 Character, and they and their gallants are reciprocally diilin- 

 guifhed by the name Woodage, which anfwers to what in Italy 

 they call Cicifbey ; and, indeed,- 1 believe that the name itfelf, 

 as well as the practice, is Hebrew ; fchus chis beiim, iignifies at- 

 tendants or companions of the bride, or bride's man,?iS we call it ill 

 England. The only difference is, that in Europe the inti- 

 macy and attendance continues during the marriage, while, 

 among the Jews, it was permitted only the few days of the 

 marriage ceremony. The averfion to Judaifm, in the ladies 

 of Europe, has probably led them to the prolongation of the 

 term. 



It was a cuftom of the ancient Egyptians to purge them- 



felves monthly for three days ; and the fame is ftill in pi ac- 



tice in Abymnia. We ihall fpeak more of the reafon of this 



Vol. III. Q^q practice 



* In this particular they refemble the Cynics of old, of whom it was faid, " Omnia qute ad 

 *-Baccii um et Venetem pertinueiint in p u6/ico facere," Diogenes Laertius in Vit. Diogen, 



